Lagos trade fair to return to permanent site, says Sanwo-Olu

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has raised the hope of returning the annual Lagos international trade fair and exhibitions to its permanent site on the Lagos-Badagry Express Road, in Ojo axis of the state.

For several years running, the trade fair has been holding at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS) on the Lagos Island, due to the challenge of connecting the permanent site, as a result of the poor state of the Lagos-Badagry road.

Sanwo-Olu believed that returning the fair to its permanent site, would assuage the operational challenges faced by the organisers, exhibitors, patrons and visitors, and put it at par with other international exhibitions.

The TBS venue is regarded too small to host the trade fair, believed to be the biggest in Nigeria. Over two thousand foreign and local exhibitors are participating in this year’s edition of the fair which has the theme: “connecting businesses, creating value.”

Sanwo-Olu, speaking on Monday when he visited some pavilions at the ongoing, pledged the support of his administration to raise the standard of the fair.

The governor, who was led on the tour by Babatunde Ruwase, president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) said that the fair was an avenue for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to showcase their products to the world.

“I am here on an on-the-spot assessment and to encourage our MSMEs that are on display.

“This is real governance and collaborative initiative. This is an annual event, but we need to upscale it.”

Sanwo-Olu commended the LCCI for keeping faith with MSMEs, adding that it shows the can-do spirit of Nigeria.

Some of the pavilions visited by the governor include those of Ghana, Cameroun, Ethiopia, Lagos State Government and the Chinese Government.

The fair, which opened on Friday, November 1, will be rounded off on Sunday, November 10, 2019.

Business Day, established in 2001, is a daily business newspaper based in Lagos. It is the only Nigerian newspaper with a bureau in Accra, Ghana. It has both daily and Sunday titles. It circulates in Nigeria and Ghana